Sometime's the call is cancun and a string bikini . . .

The call: cancun and a string bikini
By: Akidah Njuzu

If you're anything like me, you ponder the obvious obessively. Need to loose weight? How exactly should you push away from the table and at what speed? Will this one treat hurt- I mean you can always begin again tomorrow is the thinking. Right? Maybe five years later, you go as far as to offer rebuttles to your ego which tend to waiver back and forth about how tomorrow might be a better day to "bring it" as they say.

Then something happens, a time arrives that demands, an action plan, the lioness within stirrs, execution and transformation become your only goal and excuses an enemy. Perhaps today is the impetus you've been waiting on, so here's to the new you- she's been waiting for her chance at life.

The day after my birthday, an amazing opportunity fell into my lap, writer, Active Lifestyle coach, WNSO Professional athlete, fitness model, spokes model, and national figure competitor Jana Stewart had some time in her busy schedule to talk "body" and more importantly to issue a transformation challenge to all those who would answer the call.

Its hard to believe that cancun and a string bikini were a part her impetus to transform into the possesor of the coveted toned mid section but even those who look as amazing as she does, began somewhere.

Q: Have you ever struggled with weight?

Jana: I was active in junior high and high school, but once I went away to college, I became more social and really not involved in athletics at all. Upon graduating from college, I moved to Atlanta to pursue my career. Shortly after my move, I planned a trip to Cancun with my friends, the trip was a great success, that is, until my friend Marcye put on her string bikini to hit the beach!! She looked like a Victoria's Secret model!!  To top that off, when I returned home from my trip, my oldest brother took a look at the pictures from the beach and told me that I should have held my stomach in!  That was the last straw, I knew I had to make some changes. I had no idea how I was going to do this, I was afraid to go to the gym because I knew nothing about the equipment and I certainly did not have time to measure food and count calories. So I started off slowly only doing cardio, then graduated to using machines, then weights. I trained for & completed the LA Marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma society. 

Q: How did you get into competitive shows and training others?

Jana: About 8 years ago I saw an Oxygen Magazine with Jenny Worth on the cover.  I read it, loved the way the girls physiques looked, so I starting writing various pro competitors, trained with them, and entered my 1st show a year later.

Q: In your opinion, what's the best training style for weight loss?

Jana: There are so many training styles but my favorite is Interval Training.  I don't like to spend hours in the gym or doing a workout.  By doing intervals, I'm able to burn fat in a short amount of time.  I also love Muay Thai, kettlebells, TRX, and plyos!

Q: Who inspires you to be at your physical best?

Jana:   ME!  There are plenty of women out there who's body's I admire (Demi Moore, Kelley Ripa, Jada Pinkett Smith), but the true key to happiness & success is loving yourself.  I keep pushing, working hard, making improvements and when I look in the mirror, I'm proud of my accomplishments and I keep aiming to better myself!!

Q: How does a person know when its their time to transform? It seems as if most people put off dieting consistently until often its too late or doctor perscribed. How can we commit?

Jana: We can commit by 1st acknowledging what we love about ourselves and then making a note of what we want to improve.  Each day you should commit to making a change that will put you one step closer to reaching your goals.  As time goes on, these small commitments will have become so natural that acheiving your goals will appear easy and part of your normal routine.

Q: What truths do we need to accept about getting healthy aside from the fact that there is NO magic pill?

Jana: That it needs to be part of your normal routine just like waking up, showering, getting dressed, etc.  Once you decide that you want to be healthy & fit, and make it a priority, it's just a matter of finding ways to incorporate various activities into your lifestyle.  

Q: How does one make fitness an adventure?

Jana:  Making fitness an adventure is easy.  Think 'outside the box'.  Most people get bored at the gym and see it as a burden.  My suggestions would be to get out and about!!  Rent bikes, go hiking, enter a 5K, Marathon, or Triathlon.

Q: What client has motivated you or tuaght you something awesome about the triumphs of the human spirit?

Jana:  I have many amazing clients, but the ones that motivate me the most are those that stay dedicated, train hard, and put forth 100% into what they are doing!

Q: How can I work out at home, if I can't afford a trainer? 

Jana: There are so many exercises & workouts that can be done at home.  In fact, all of the workouts that I put my challenge members through can be done at home.  So check my website (www.janastewart.com) for videos!!

Q: Why did you decide to lead a transformation challenge?

Jana: I started this lifestyle transformation challenge because I knew there were so many people out there who wanted to live a healthy lifestyle, but thought it was to difficult, to time consuming, and to hard.  This challenge allows me to show people just how easy it is to be healthy & fit.  And it's so inspiring for the participants because they motivate each other to keep pushing & working hard.

Q: What are the main issues preventing clients from achieving their goals?

Jana: The main issues that I see are lack of motivation & knowledge.

Q: Regarding the challenge, how does one enter, what makes this challenge different, where are the meetings? 

Jana: We just started local training sessions in Los Angeles, but for those who want to train with us virtually, you can go to www.janastewart.com, email me and I'll get you signed up.  Workouts & videos will be posted soon so it will be easy to follow along and train with us!!

 
Q: Would you give a sample week menu and/or work out for weight loss? 

Jana: It really all depends on what a a persons goals are.  But in general, I'd suggest eating 5-6 small meals per day, all with adequate amounts of protein, carbs, fats.  Sparkpeople.com has a great tracking system for people to determine what works best for them.  For workouts, I'd suggest getting in 3-5 days of strength training and cardio.

Skirt-setters, are you up for the challenge?